Yoga for Diabetes - Poses to help you manage

Posted by: | Posted on: 21 November, 2019 | Category: Health Tips | School Name: abhay_11

YOGA FOR DIABETES

What is diabetes?

Diabetes is a disease that occurs when our blood glucose, also called blood sugar, is too high. Blood glucose is our main source of energy and comes from the food we eat. Insulin, a hormone made by the pancreas, helps glucose from the food to get into your cells to be used for energy. Sometimes the pancreas doesn’t make enough—or any—insulin or doesn’t use insulin well. Glucose then stays in our blood and doesn’t reach our cells.

This condition is called Diabetes.

Types of Diabetes

Type 1 diabetes - If you have type 1 diabetes, your body does not make insulin. Your immune system attacks and destroys the cells in your pancreas that make insulin. Type 1 diabetes is usually diagnosed in children and young adults, although it can appear at any age. People with type 1 diabetes need to take insulin every day to stay alive.

Type 2 diabetes - If you have type 2 diabetes, your body does not make or use insulin well. You can develop type 2 diabetes at any age, even during childhood. However, this type of diabetes occurs most often in middle-aged and older people. Type 2 is the most common type of diabetes.

Yoga plays a major role in managing and handling diabetes. Even those who are at an advanced stage of diabetes can get comfort and right physical functioning through incorporating healthy practices into their routine. Yoga can contribute a lot when it comes to relieving diabetic symptoms. 

Yoga can help the patient in having eases during different activities and can help in even reducing or regulating the yoga symptoms and conditions.

There are several yoga poses that individuals can adopt to ease out their diabetes:

1. Dhanurasana (bow pose)

The name says it all DHANU meaning bow in Hindi, So in this asana you have to shape your body in the form of a bow as you lie on your stomach and use your both hands to hold the feet as you stretch out your body. While you perform the asana your body makes a shape of a stretched bow, and your hands are the strings.

STEPS TO PERFORM DHANURASANA 

1 Lie down on the surface on your stomach with your feet a bit apart, make it a bit parallel to your hips, and put your arms on the side of your body

2 After that, slowly fold your knees up and hold your ankles with your hands.

3 Now lift your chest off the ground with slightly breathing in, and pull your legs up and stretch it out. You should feel the stretch in your arms and thighs

4 After making the pose now hold the pose for around 15 seconds, and feel your breath as you take long and deep breathes 

5 Now slowly bring your chest and leg back to the ground and release your hands from your ankles and place your hands aside, Repeat the asana for a few minutes.

2. Paschimottanasana

This asana is seated forward bend and making the upper body folded in a forward direction over the legs. Paschimottanasana is one of the 12 basic postures of Hatha yoga and is a part of Ashtanga yoga.

It is done basically for calming the mind and the nervous system. It gives a relaxing therapy to the ones suffering from anxiety and depression.

It is also said that Paschimottanasana balances prana in the body.

STEPS TO PERFORM

1 Sit down and stretch both legs straight 

2 Both the ankle and toes should be pointing forward 

3 Now take a deep breathe and raise your arms and bend the body forward and exhale, bend the body as far as possible.

4 After you do this try to interlock your toes with your finger and touch your nose with your knees 

5 Do it for 5 to 10 seconds and maintain the pose as long as you feel comfortable.

3. Padangusthasana

This asana is a standing asana which stretches the body and gives a balance to the body, its main focus is to stretch the legs, arms, and back.

STEPS TO PERFORM THE ASANA 

1 Stand straight and make a gap of 4 inches between the legs.

2 Bend forward and try to touch your forehead to your knee and your legs should be straight.

3 Be in this position and grab your toes, and grip them perfectly 

4 When you bend forward, inhale the fresh air and your elbows should be straight after 1 min get back to the standing position and while leaving the toes start exhaling.

5 Make a set of it and do it for a few minutes.

4. Bhujangasana

The word Bhujanga is derived from the Sanskrit which means snake, Bhujangasana is one of the asanas which is practiced from a bend position that makes a strong spine and makes it warm while opening the chest.

STEPS TO PERFORM 

1 Lie flat on the floor on your stomach and keep your legs straight and rest your palm on the side of your chest and your elbows must be pointing outwards.

2 Keep your forehead on the ground and relax your body 

3 Now inhale and raise your forehead slowly.

4 Raise your head to the maximum limit and then hold the position for 20 seconds, then slowly go back to the same position and exhale.

5 Do this asana for 3-5 a day for 20 seconds each time 

5. Sarvangasana

Sarvangasana is done in the end once the practice of yoga is done, it is generally done to make a  cleansing blood flow of the body. It gives relaxation to the body and makes the body calm.

STEPS TO PERFORM

1 Lie down on your back and raise your legs upward and make a 90-degree angle.

2 Raise your legs more by raising up your buttocks.

3 Place your palms on your back for support.

4 Maintain this position as long as it is possible, try to maintain it for 30 seconds.

5 Slowly return back to the original position and perform it twice or thrice 

6. Ardha-matsyendrasana

It is the ninth pose of the total 12 poses of Hatha Yoga. It is a seated twist pose, The name is derived from the Sanskrit word ARDHA which means HALF.

STEPS TO PERFORM 

1 Sit in a position where your feet are stretched out and your spine is absolutely erect.

2 Now, bend your left leg such that the heel of the left foot lies next to the right hip. 

Then place your right leg on the left knee.

3 After this twist your waist neck and shoulders towards the right.

4 Now stretch your arms as you want according to your need.

5 Hold the position for a while and do it 3-4 times  

7. Halasana

Halasana is a finishing pose which is everytime praticed at the end of a yogic session.As it is always practiced at the end it helps the body in the preparation of relaxation and meditation.

STEPS TO PERFORM 

1 Lie on the ground and keep your arms side.

2 Lift your legs up in a 90 degree position.

3 Then extend the position and lift your spine and hips.

4 Now place your toes on the floor and straightened your legs.

5 Make sets for the asana and practice it for 2 mins everyday.

8. Yoga mudrasana

This type of asana is most popular in females as it prevents from aging and make you look and feel younger, Mudra is derived from Sanskrit which means seal.

STEPS TO PERFORM 

1 Sit in the position of lotus pose.

2 Bring back your hands behind and interlock your fingers.

3 Now your forehead should be bend down without lifting your buttocks.

4 Try this pose for 30 seconds.

9. CHAKRASANA

Chakrasana is a primary series of Ashtanga Yoga, it is best for back bending yoga.The name is derived form sanskrit which means wheel,it says that shape your body in the form of a wheel while performing this posture.

STEPS TO PERFORM 

1 Lie on the yoga mat, fold your legs and your sole of feet should touch the floor.

2 keep your both hands aside of shoulder.

3 Take a deep breath and keep your legs and hands on the floor, then raise your hand and head from the floor.

4 Be on the same position with a normal breath and get back to the normal position by exhaling.

5 Try this asana for 5-6 times a day for better results.

We hope you find these useful.